Smoothing machine



Aug. 18,1931.

A. F. PYM

SMOOTHING MAGHINE Filed Jan. 14, 1929 Patented Aug. 18, 1931 uur PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR F. PYM, OF SWAMIPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY sMoo'rHiNG ivrAeHrNii` Y Y Application led January 14, 1929.- Serial No. 332,477.

This invention relates to machines for shaping shoes, and particularly for shaping the uppers of turn shoes into conformity with the last after the turning and relasting oper- '5 ations.

In relasting a turn shoe, the upper is not drawn over the last with the same tension as that to which it is subjected in the original lasting operation and, accordingly, it does not conform closely at all points to the shape of the last. Further, in forcing a last into a shoe while the latter is in temper, or slightly moist, wrinkles are very likely to be formed adjacent to the seam. It is, therefore, customary to submit the upper to a blocking or smoothino` operation in order to eliminate the wrin les and shape the upper to the last, particularly where it passes over the corner of the last.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine for use "in performing the above operation.

One feature of the invention consists in the provision, in a machine of the type referred 2* to having a tool shaped to conform substantiallyto the portion of a lasted upper'adjacent to the last corner, that is, the junction ofthe bottom and side faces, of resiliently operated means for causing the tool to im- Vpinge upon a shoe held thereagainstin order that the portion of the upper adjacent to the last corner shall be conformed smoothly to the last. As herein illustrated, the above- 1 mentioned resiliently operated means comprises a hammer and mechanism constructed and arrangedrapidly to oscillate thehammer into contact with a holder for the tool, thereby imparting to it a series of impacts.

In order that the tool shall always be flatly seated againstthe work, the illustrated connection between the tool and its holder is constructed and arranged to allow the tool to adjust itself in the holder in accordance with changes in contour and in the position vof the work held thereagainst as the point of operation of the tool on the workistransferred thereabout. To this end the invention includes the provision of a rotatable mounting for a tool of the type referred to in a holder. Another feature'of the invention comprises means for resiliently resisting the movement of the tool in the holder from a predetermined angular relation with respect'to the holder in order that the tool shall always resume Y its initial position as soon as the work isremoved from the tool. These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated kfrom 'the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view of the machine in side elevation, partly in section; and

Fig-2 is a view in perspective of the tool and its holder in operative relation to a shoe.

The illustrated machine-comprises a column 10, of which only the upper portion is shown, and an overhanging head 12 having a casing 14 within which the mechanism of the machine is contained. A transverse shaft 18 is journaled in the head of the machine p and is arranged to be driven through a pin clutch of usual commercial construction, of which the pin 20 is shown in Fig. 1 and with which the pin shifting linger 22 cooperates. The finger 22 is mounted to swing about the axis of av shaft 24 journaled in the upper portion of tlie machine frame 12 and is controlled by the'operator through an arm 26 and avertical treadle rod 28K. It will be understood that when the treadle rod is depressed, as in Fig.`1, the' clutch pin is moved by the finger 22 into an Y inoperative position. but when the treadle rod is elevated by the operator and the shifting finger 22 swung outwardly, the pin acts automatically to engage the clutch and, consequently, to set the shaft 18 in rotation. The details of the'clutch are not further illustrated herein as clutches of this type are well-known in the art. j

The tool holder comprises an arm 30 pivotally mounted at its inner end upon a transverse stud 32 in the machine head 12 and normally maintained at rest against a positive stop 34 by means of alcompression spring 36 interposed between its under surface and a boss in the head 12. The holder is thus normally located in a predetermined elevated position, although it is free to move downwardly against the compression of the spring 36.

The outer end of the holder 30 is cylindrical in shape and provided with a longitudinal bore to receive the cylindrical shank 37 of a tool 38. At its inner end, the shank 37 is provided with a transverse slot 40 having a flat bottom. The holder 30 is provided with an upstanding boss 42 in which is located a plunger 44, normally pressed downwardly against the bottom of the slot 40 by a coinpression spring 46 confined within the boss 42 by a cotter pin, as shown. The lower end of the plunger 44 is substantially flat .and tends to maintain the shank 87 of the tool in a corresponding angular position but it will be apparent that the plunger 44 will yield upwardly and permit a temporary angular displacement of the shank 37. The tool 38, which may be termed a blocking toohhas a relatively widehorizontally-disposed lower surface curved-somewhat to conform with the general outline of the side of a shoe and adapted to engage asubstantial area of the upper adjacent to the last corner. At its outer end, the tool is provided with a downwardly cX- tending lip or rib 39 which may extend into the crease between the upper and the sole. The tool 88, accordingly, is shaped to lit about the lastcornerand may be said to have a reentrant vertex formed by the liuncture of its lower surface withthe downturned lip 89.

Above the tool holder 30 and within the casing 14 is mounted a hammer 50 arranged to swing about the axis of a transverse stud 52 carried the head of the machine and having a head 54'formed at its free end which is arranged when operated to strike the outer end of the holder 30 at a point adjacentto the blocking tool 38 and impart a sharp do-wnward blow thereto. The hammer has a downwardly extending arm 56 to which is connected Va tension spring 58, secured at its rear endete an adjustable stud 60 projecting through the column 16 and provided at its outer end with an adjusting nut 62 and a lock nut., Byl turning the adjusting nut 62,` the stud() may be drawn in or out and the tension of thespring 58 correspondingly adjusted to vary the impact of the hammer.

' The hammer V50 is also provided with a rearwardly extending camarm 55`which cooperates with a. spiral cam 64 to lift the head of the hammer against the' tension of the spring 58. The spiral cam 64 is provided with anabrupt drop-off and arranged to rotate ina clockwise direction. as shown in Fig.

l, so that when the drop-off pointin the cam is' reached. the cam arm 55 of the hammer is released and the spring 58, whichhas been gradually tensio-ned in the rotation of the cam, is. free to-cause Jthe hammer to impinge upon the holder 30- for the blocking tool.

I The shaft 18 carries a brake disk 66 with which cooperates a brake shoe 68 mounted eccentrically upon the transverse shaft 24 and being operated by the treadle rod 28 so as to release the brake disk 66 when the clutch is tripped and to engage the brake disk and stop the rotation of the shaft 18 when the treadle rod is released and the clutch disengaged. y The brake 68 also serves to prevent reverse rotation of the shaft 18 which might otherwise be caused by the pressure of the cam arm 55 of the hammer upon it.

rlhe operation of the machine will be apparent from the foregoing description but may be summarized as follows: The operator presents the shoe in the position indicated in Fig. l, with the sole substantially vert-ical and with the blocking tool overlying the side of the upper and substantially fitting the last corner. As the tool is positively supported in stationary initial position, the operator may press the shoe against it without imparting any movement to the tool beyond a swivelling movement of angular displacement which brings the surface of the tool into conformity to the contour of the work. Having thus positioned the shoe, the operator will trip the clutch and set the shaft 18 in rotation. The hammer 50 is thereupon swung to its highest position and released by the cam 64 in rapid succession and a series of sharp hammer blows are thus imparted to the holder 30, which drives the tool downwardly against the lasted shoe and thus shapes the upper in conformity with the last and eliminates any wrinkles which may have been caused by the relasting opera-tion. The operatorproceeds to move the shoe longitudinally with respect to the tool 38 as the hammer 50 continues to vibrate and to impart a corresponding vibration to the tool 38 about its axis of movement upon the stud 32. It will .be seen that each vibration of the tool begins from a definite point of restor initial positiondetermined by the stop 34 and that the tool is returned to initial position between consecutive vibrations. The operator continues-to move the shoe with respect to the tool 38 until he has presented thereto substantially the whole of `its forepart portion adjacent to the sole edge and until the upper has been entirely smoothed and brought into conformity with thev lines of the last. The .treadle rod is then released and the machine comes to rest with the tool holder 30 in initial position, as before.

Vhile a blocking tool of the characteristics herein disclosed may be used with particular advantage in a machine organized to vibrate a toolfrom a predetermined initial position of rest, it would be within the scope of the invention to utilize tools of whatever shape may be bestsuited for the requirements of Vthe work in hand.

Having thus described my invention., what I claim as new and desire to sec-ure by Letters .Patent of the United States is:

1. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a tool shaped substantially to iit the side of the upper adjacent to the last corner of a relasted turn shoe, and resiliently operated means for causing the tool to impinge upon a shoe held thereagainst.

2. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, a tool shaped to engage the side of the upper of a relasted turn shoe and extend over the corner of the last, a holder for the tool, and means for causing the tool to impinge upon a shoe held thereagainst comprising a resiliently operated hammer constructed and arranged to contact with said holder.

3. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, a tool shaped to conform substantially to the portion of a lasted upper adjacent to the last corner, a holder for said tool arranged to allow the tool to adjust itself in said holder in accordance with changes Vin the contour of the work and the position of the work as it is presented to the tool, and means for imparting resilient impacts to said holder to cause said tool to impinge upon the work.

t. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a tool with a laterally extending face conforming substantially in shape to the side of an upper adjacent to the last corner, and arranged to swivel about a longitudinal axis when in operative position, and means for vibrating the tool about a transverse aXis.

5. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a tool with a laterally extending face conforming substantially in shape to the side of an upper adjacent to the last corner, means for yieldingly maintaining said tool in normal angular position but permitting it to be temporarily displaced about a longitudinal axis by pressure of the work, and means for vibrating said tool from a predetermined initial position.

6. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a frame having a pivotally mounted holder therein, a blocking tool rotatably mounted in the holder, means for yieldingly urging' said tool toward a predetermined position with respect to said holder, and resiliently operated means for striking said holder to cause the tool to impinge upon a shoe presented thereto.

7. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a holder for a blocking tool, and

mechanism for subjecting said holder to recurring resilient impacts.

8. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination,`a holder for a blocking tool, a tool mounted for yielding rotative movement in said holder, and means acting to impart a series of impacts to said holder.

9. A shoe shaping machine,-having in combination, a holder for a blocking tool, a tool mounted to adjust itself in said holder in accordance with the position of the work held thereagainst as the point of operation of the tool on the work is transferred thereabout, and means for imparting a series of impacts to said holder.

10. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a pivotally mounted holder, a blocking tool arranged to swivel therein, a positive stop against which said holder is normally maintained so that the shoe may be pressed against the tool without displacing the holder, a vibratory hammer arranged to strike the holder, and a mechanism arranged to be set in motion by the operator for operating the hammer.

11. A shoe shaping machine, having in combination, a blocking tool movable about substantially horizontal tool holder pivot,

ally mounted at one end and having a blocking tool at the other, a positive stop and a spring for determining the initial position 0f said holder, a hammer mounted to vibrate above said holder and to swing the holder by impact therewith intermittently downwardly from its initial position, and a cam and spring cooperating to actuate said hammer.

14. A shoe shaping machine having, in combination, a tool shaped to conform substantially to thel portion of the upper of a shoe adjacent to the last corner, a pivoted hammer, and means for oscillating said hammer whereby a series of impacts is imparted to said tool.

15. A `shoe shaping machine having, in combination, a tool shaped to conform substantially to the port-ion of the upper of a shoe adjacent to the last corner, aV holder for said tool, a hammer, means arranged to urge said hammer against said holder, and means for successively moving said hammer away from said holder and releasing it whereby a succession of blows is imparted to the tool holder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ARTHUR F. PYM. 

